This blog has nothing to do with gorillas (though I love 'em)...fellow bloggers have inspired me to share vintage images of Disneyland from my personal collection. But don't be surprised if you see something from a World's Fair, Knott's Berry Farm, or someplace else that is cool!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Let's take a trip over the Submarine Lagoon, shall we? It certainly looks inviting, that blue, blue water in the bright sunshine. If you dipped your toe into it, would it come out blue? Most of the attraction is really an indoor dark ride, but the Imagineers made the most of this part.

Growing up as I did in a wanton world which was comprised of one part pulp and one part science fiction; this little bit of acreage in the sky was always my destination of choice. It was here, looking down at this very site was when Walt achieved in me his vision. This was the world I wanted to be a part of. The world I wanted to be real. I have never been so alive as when I was on the Skyway right here looking down on the 'Grays' in that wonderful world of liquid space!

VDT, I am glad to have the subs back up and running, and was very happy when I took that little spiral staircase down into our sub. The stuff in the lagoon was nice (pretty similar to the old lagoon except for Darla, which I kind of liked). However, the whole "dark ride" portion left me pretty unenthused.

Instead of having my imagination fired by mermaids and sunken cities and giant squids battling killer whales (?!?), I got a bunch of warmed-over jokes and scenes from "Finding Nemo", a movie I've already seen half a dozen times at least. The projection effects were good, but never felt like I was looking at anything more than a flat thing.

Unless I'm with my niece and nephew, I don't know if I'll need to go on the subs very often!

I rode the "new" subs last year with my children, which was my first time since the Long Rehab and my boys' first time ever.

Like the good Major, I found the projections technically interesting but uninspiring. I did enjoy the subtle references to the original ride in the script (specifics are escaping me, but I remember smiling and poking my wife). In all honesty, I kept inserting the original ride's storyline and spiel in my head as I rode through.

My boys enjoyed it immensely. I think it was partly because they'd heard so much about it from me and were familiar with a ride-through of the old attraction I'd found on YouTube and partly because the subs themselves are just SO COOL. I mean, come on - you're UNDER WATER in a SUBMARINE and looking through a window at FISH and STUFF - it's an ALL CAPS experience. The whole ambience is just so unique it's hard to not be impressed, even with the Nemo overlay. To this day, every time I feel a gentle breeze of cool air conditioning in my face, I think of this ride.

I agree with Thufer and VDT - the Cold War gray subs that operated out of "Disneyland Naval Base" were my favorites. The park just hasn't been the same since they removed the missile tubes. Stupid SALT treaty...

Chuck, I don't remember that many salutes to the old Submarine ride, but maybe I just missed them. Yes, I agree, the original ride was GENIUS. I talk to people who think it was lame, and I don't understand them at all. Maybe they lack imagination.

I thought you were poking your wife in the eyes with two fingers like Moe from the 3 stooges, so I'm glad you cleared that up!

Chuck and Thufer, thank you for your comments, which really took me back. Thank you Major, for these wondeful pics.

I miss the "grays" and have yet to ride the Nemo version, I refused to wait the extended time frame on my last visit.

My kids and my nieces all went on Nemo and I rode Casey Jr. 3x.

I always knew the subs were fake, but the imagery was evocative enough that I wanted to be in that world, like Thufer. Don't blame Disney if I didn't go on to a career in marine sciences, those rides still made a huge impression and I think there are more important messages to be told to today's youth about the world's oceans from the viewpoint of the "yellow subs" than the warmed over soundtrack from a cartoon, however successful.

There was a day when (some of) Disneyland (and tomorrowland especially) was about education and not all about movie character spin offs.

(rant off)

JG

PS(Major, If I don't always thank you explicitly for each post, please take it "as read", your pictures are often the brightest part of my increasingly dark days.)